Bringing the History of the Earth to the Public by Using Storytelling and Fossils from Decorative Stones of the City of Poznań, Poland

Home , Clypeaster, Lithothamnion, Megistaspis, Pholadomya

Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-019-00400-2

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Paweł Wolniewicz1

Received: 30 January 2019 /Accepted: 7 August 2019 /Published online: 21 August 2019 # The Author(s) 2019

Abstract The fossil content of building and decorative stones is used to communicate a wide range of geological knowledge, namely the history of the Earth, plate tectonics, evolutionary patterns and climate change, to nonexpert audiences. Storytelling and narratives are employed to improve the level of interpretation of palaeontological geoheritage. Seven rock types, five of which are highly fossiliferous, widely utilized in most recognizable monuments of the city of Poznań in Poland are employed to produce a complex narrative that guides the individual from the Ordovician to the Neogene period. The narrative is accompanied by rich visuals (graphic reconstructions of ancient ecosystems and now-extinct organisms, palaeogeographical maps) available in four printed and online leaflets and guides, supplemented by a museum exhibition where additional rocks and complete fossil specimens are shown and by workshops for more deeply interested participants. The narrative component of the project allows the detection of the most common misconceptions related to the Earth sciences and strengthens the engagement of individuals involved in the project. The project is developed further with self-guided walks around other Polish cities.

Keywords Urban geology . Palaeontological geoheritage . Storytelling . Geoscience education

Introduction science facts can therefore significantly benefit from the concept of storytelling. Storytelling and narratives support the communication of sci- Narratives have been used in geological sciences from the entific phenomena to nonexperts (Dahlstrom 2014). Although times of Wolfgang Goethe and Charles Darwin (Lennox stories can potentially result in distorted display of scientific 1991). The role of scientific storytelling in Earth sciences data (Katz 2013), they are also found by nonexpert audiences has been analysed by Phillips (2012), who identified eight to be more engaging than formal scientific communication basic plots (i.e. storylines and schemes) that can be employed (Green 2006). The persuasive influence of narrative is found when reporting geological facts. Although no applications of to be greater than in the case of purely scientific arguments narratives in geoheritage promotion have been cited by (Green and Brock 2000). The potential of storytelling can be Phillips (2012), the concept of storytelling is well established particularly high in communicating scientific phenomena that in museum exhibitions (see example explanatory panels lie beyond the human scale and cannot be directly experienced figured in Mariotto and Venturini 2017). The idea of improv- (Dahlstrom 2014), for example the geologic time scale or plate ing the level of interpretation of geoheritage by means of tectonics. Moreover, narratives describe cause-and-effect rela- storytelling has also been studied by Migoń and Pijet-Migoń tions over a particular time span which closely relates to the (2017). Here, an example of the utilization of narratives in the natural order of geological processes, such as in the Wilson promotion of urban geological and palaeontological heritage cycle or rock cycle. The scientific communication of Earth is discussed. The importance of geological sites that are located in cities has been underlined by De Wever et al. (2017). Geological sciences are perceived by nonexpert audiences * ł Pawe Wolniewicz as disconnected from everyday life, and geologists’ work is [email protected] commonly associated with fieldwork in distant countries 1 Institute of Geology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Bogumiła and on other continents. Thus, the promotion of geological Krygowskiego 12, 61-680 Poznan, Poland objects that can be found in nearby surroundings and easily 1828 Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 studied becomes an important mission of Earth science occurrences in the architecture of Amsterdam, Barcelona, scholars and museums. Montreal, Moscow, Washington, D.C. and other cities The present study concentrates on urban palaeontological across Europe and North America. Those projects geoheritage, that is, the fossil content of the building and dec- explore fossil content, but its stratigraphical context and orative stones and its relation to the history of the Earth, palaeogeographical interpretations are rarely described. changes of the climate, plate tectonics and evolution. Most The fossils in the architecture of Washington, D.C. of the geological processes involved form a clear cause-and- project (http://dcfossils.org) are an exception; fossils are effect relationship, which makes storytelling and narratives a grouped into separate galleries according to their ages. logical choice for communication of such phenomena. Discussion on the anatomy of the fossil groups and their The use of building and decorative stones from historic palaeoenvironmental significance is also provided. buildings and monuments in the promotion of geological However, broader palaeogeographical interpretations and concepts is common. The potential of building stones for implications for the study of the history of the Earth play a geotouristic purposes has also been recognized in Poland, less important role in that project. In the present study, the with an extensive guide for the city of Kraków published level of interpretation is significantly higher and involves in Polish and summarized in English (Rajchel 2008)and storytelling to improve the dissemination of crucial Earth smaller contributions for other cities. However, none of science concepts, in particular the basic principles of the the Polish guides and few from other countries focus on palaeontology, plate tectonics and history of the Earth and the palaeontological content of decorative stones and their the geological history of Poland and central Europe. The relation to the history of life and the history of the Earth. main scheme of the project fits well within the genesis The Paleourbana website (http://paleourbana.com), which story plot of Phillips (2012). maps fossils preserved in building stones from localities Pulling out rocks from their stratigraphical context hinders all over the world, is a notable exception. The project also understanding of the palaeontological record (Clary and hosts a list of published guides and websites that list fossil Wandersee 2014). Thus, the project under study aims at

Fig. 1 Source areas of building 15E and decorative stones used in the N project under study (marked by SWEDEN diamonds) and cities/towns in Öland Poland for which palaeontological guides have been developed (marked by circles) 200 km

Gdynia Gdańsk Olsztyn

Poznań Warszawa POLAND GERMANY Żerkowice Strzegom Raciszyn Bolechowice Strzelin Morawica 50N Pińczów Dębnik 50N

Eichstätt

Tardos

HUNGARY

15E Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 1829 retaining of stratigraphical order of rock types that have abun- Structure of the Project dant fossil contents and at focusing on the broader view, that is, on palaeoecological and palaeogeographical facts that can Carbonates, sandstones and conglomerates that were deposited be read from the rock by a professional geologist. Cause-and- in the Ordovician, Devonian, Jurassic, Cretaceous and Miocene effect sequences of geological events are used in the narratives seas and in the foreland basins of the Carboniferous and included in the guide and in the explanatory panels displayed Permian mountain belts are among the best recognized Polish in the exhibition. building and decorative stones. They are widely used in

Table 1 Fossiliferous decorative stones and other rock types that were employed in the project under study. For a map of localities, see Fig. 1

Building/decorative stone, Lithological description Geologic features suitable commercial names, source for geotouristic purposes

Fossiliferous limestones and conglomerates Middle Miocene Pińczów Limestone Organodetritic limestones composed mostly of Rich assemblage of red algae, (Pińczów area of the Carpathian Foredeep, skeletal remains of a diverse fauna; formed on bryozoans, brachiopods 50° 33′ N, 20° 38′ E) a carbonate platform of the Miocene Paratethys sea at depths estimated as 30–80 m (Studencki 1988) Middle and Upper Jurassic limestones from Morawica Limestone (Middle Oxfordian, Holy Numerous fossils of siliceous sponges, Poland (Morawica, 50° 44′ N, 20° 35′ E; Cross Mountains, southern Poland): light-grey ammonites and belemnites Raciszyn, 51° 05′ N, 18° 51′ E), Germany to dark-beige sparry and micritic limestones (Eichstätt, 48° 54′ N, 11° 8′ E) and Hungary with rich organic remains, deposited on an (Tardos, 47° 39′ N, 18° 26′ E) carbonate platform (Matyja 1977); Raciszyn limestone (Oxfordian, Działoszyn area in central Poland): grey to beige, sponge-bearing carbonates, massive to bedded, with ammonite, belemnite, and brachiopod fossil fauna (Wierzbowski 2002); Plattenkalk (Tithonian, Solnhofen/Eichstätt area, Bavaria, Germany): thin-bedded, fine-grained, pure limestones (Munnecke et al. 2008); Ammonitico Rosso: red, nodular, pelagic limestones with pelagic microfossils, rich in ammonites (Jenkyns 1974), widespread in the Alpine-Mediterranean realm, nodular limestones that are used in Poznań are from Hungary (Tardos limestone, Gómez-Heras et al. 2006) Zygmuntówka conglomerate (Czerwona Góra Coarse-grained, clast-supported Coarsely grained sedimentary rocks, with clasts quarry and Bolechowice area near Kielce, conglomerates, deposited on an alluvial fan of older, fossiliferous Devonian carbonates Holy Cross Mountains, southern Poland, (Zbroja et al. 1998). 50° 48′ N, 20° 30′ E) Middle to Upper Devonian limestones from the Grey, brown and black limestones deposited Rich assemblage of massive and dendroid Holy Cross Mountains (Bolechowice, 50° 48′ at depths estimated as less than 30 m, on a stromatoporoid sponges N, 20° 30′ E) and Kraków area (Dębnik, 50° shallow-marine carbonate platform, with nu- 9′ N, 19° 40′ E) in southern Poland merous stromatoporoid sponge fossils, corals, bivalves, brachiopods and bivalves (Racki 1993) Ordovician limestones from the island Red to brown and light-grey, fine-grained, Rich and diverse nautiloid shells (Kröger 2004) of Öland (“Orthoceratite Limestone”, bedded limestone, deposited at middle 56° 50′ N, 16° 40′ E) palaeolatitudes, with abundant fossil content (Calner et al. 2014). Other stones used in the project Coniacian (Cretaceous) sandstones of the North Quartz sandstones of upper shoreface to Clastic sedimentary rocks, sedimentary structures Sudetic Synclinorium (“Upper foreshore origin, with large-scale cross-- (cross-stratification) Quadersandstein”, southwestern Poland; stratification, bivalves, ammonites and nu- Żerkowice, 51° 9′ N, 15° 34′ E) merous trace fossils (Leszczyński 2010). Carboniferous granitoids from Lower Silesia Variscan granitoid (granite, granodiorite, diorite, Mineral composition of the plutonic rocks; (Strzegom, 50° 57′ N, 16° 19′ E; Strzelin, tonalite) plutons of Western Sudetes, emplaced xenoliths in granitoids, magmatism related to 50° 46′ N, 17° 2′ E) approximately 330–300 Ma ago (Kennan the Variscan orogeny and to the formation of et al. 1999; Oberc-Dziedzic et al. 2013). the supercontinent Pangaea 1830 Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837

a b a b

c d c d

e f e f

g h g h

Fig. 2 Photographs of the building and decorative stones included in the Fig. 3 Reconstructions of the sedimentary environments of decorative stones. project and examples of their fossil contents. a Ordovician “Orthoceratite Visuals are included in the printed guides/leaflets and featured on the explan- limestone” with nautiloid shell. b Devonian limestone from the Holy atory panels at the exhibition. a Epicontinental sea of the Ordovician, located Cross Mountains, with massive stromatoporoid-sponge skeletons and at the middle palaeolatitudes of the southern hemisphere, with free swimming dendroid stromatoporoids (Amphipora,markedbyarrows).c orthoconic (i.e. straight) nautiloids and benthic trilobites Asaphus and Carboniferous granitoid from Strzegom (Lower Silesia). d Permian Megistaspis. b Stromatoporoid-coral carbonate buildup of the warm Zygmuntówka conglomerate from the vicinity of Kielce, with rounded Devonian sea of central Poland, with massive, dome-shaped stromatoporoid clasts of Devonian carbonates. e Jurassic ammonite limestone from sponges Actinostroma, branching tabulate corals (Thamnopora), colonial Hungary. f Jurassic limestone from Bavaria, with cross-section of belem- Hexagonaria-type rugose corals, brachiopods (Desquamatia and nite guard. g Cretaceous sandstones from the North Sudetic Spinatrypina), gastropods (Loxoplocus, Orecopia), bivalves (Megalodon), Synclinorium. h Miocene Pińczów limestone with shells of brachiopods and crinoids. c Simplified model of a granitoid pluton emplaced during the and bivalves (marked by arrows). Scale bars 2 cm Variscan orogeny. d Carboniferous rainforest that occupied intramontane troughs and river valleys along the Variscan mountains during the times when granitoid plutons were emplaced. The dominant plants include scale trees pavements, facades and columns of historic monuments and (Lepidodendron), horsetails (Calamites), tree ferns (Psaronius) and gymno- public buildings of many of the cities and towns of Poland. sperms (cordaites). e Deeply incised valleys stretching from the heavily erod- ed Variscan mountain ranges down to the coastline, dominated by gravity These stones contain a diverse assemblage of fossils of sea flows and fluvial processes in semi-arid to arid palaeoenvironment, in which animals, which can be relatively easy found and identified with- Zygmuntówka conglomerates have been deposited. f Epicontinental sea of in polished slabs, even by nonpalaeontologists. the Oxfordian (Jurassic) of Poland, with nektonic ammonites (Perisphinctes, The building and decorative stones of the most emblematic Cardioceras, Taramelliceras) and belemnites (Hibolites) and benthic brachiopods (Cheirothyris, Lacunosella), sponges (Cnemidiastrum, Craticularia), monuments and the public buildings of the city of Poznań, and bivalves (Pholadomya). g Cretaceous sea of the North Sudetic Poland (Fig. 1) have been studied, and rock types that contain Synclinorium in which sandstones have been deposited, with free swimming abundant fossils have been identified. The list of localities ammonites (Lewesiceras) and benthic bivalves (Lima, Inoceramus), brachio- compiled during this part of the study contains over 60 build- pods (Rhynchonella), flatworms and shrimps. h Middle Miocene Paratethys sea of the Pińczów area (Carpathian Foredeep), with sharks (Hexanchus, ings, most of them located in the city centre. Five types of Megalodon), dolphins (Lagenorhynchus), echinoderms (Cidaris, decorative stones that were found to be fossiliferous are listed Clypeaster), brachiopods (Argyrotheca, Megathiris), bivalves, gastropods, in Table 1. In addition, two other rock types that can poten- and red algae (Lithothamnion, Mesophyllum). All reconstructions drawn by tially be used to popularize the knowledge related to the Edyta Felcyn Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 1831

Table 2 Four well-known historic churches of Poznań in which fossil- a iferous decorative stones are most prominent and fossils can be easily identified (these occurrences are included in all printed and online guides)

Archcathedral Basilica of St Peter and St Paul (The Cathedral) 52° 24′ 41″ N, 16° 56′ 54″ E The chessboard stone floor of the naves is made of the dark Devonian limestone from Dębnik near Kraków (southern Poland) and much lighter, yellow tiles of the Jurassic limestones from Morawica near Kielce (Holy Cross Mountains in Poland). The Devonian limestone contains easily visible, white and pale grey skeletons of sponges and corals. Cross sections of ammonite shells, belemnite guards and sponge mummies are common in tiles made of the Jurassic limestone. St Francis Seraphic Church 52° 24′ 13″ N, 16° 56′ 14″ E The chessboard stone floor comprises yellow tiles of the Jurassic Morawica limestone and much darker, brownish tiles of the Devonian limestone from the vicinity of Bolechowice village near Kielce b (Poland). The latter contain cross sections of massive and dendroid stromatoporoid sponges, bivalve shells and corals. TheParishChurchofStStanislaus(TheCollegiateChurch) 52° 24′ 23″ N, 16° 56′ 03”E Most of the floor is comprised of two-coloured, chessboard-like, brown and grey tiles of the Ordovician limestone from the island of Öland (Sweden), in which light, arrow-shaped contours of large shells of extinct nautiloids are common. The stone floor of the porch is made of the Devonian limestone from Bolechowice near Kielce. The Church of St Anthony of Padua 52° 24′ 30″ N, 16° 55′ 53″ E The stone steps of the altar are made of diversely coloured Zygmuntówka conglomerates from the vicinity of Kielce. Rounded clasts of the Devonian limestones are visible; many of them contain sponge fossils.

c d Earlier publications that involved the study of fossil content and the palaeoecological and palaeogeographical significance of each of the rock types employed in the project were used to prepare detailed geographical reconstructions of the sedimentary environments and fossil taxa which are best visible and common in decorative stones (Fig. 3). Palaeogeographical maps that show the position of Poland in past geological sys- tems were also designed. The most remarkable fossils local- ized within the monuments were photographed. Polished slabs from source material were prepared and scanned using a flatbed scanner. Fig. 4 Printed guides and leaflets published. All material is available in To make the geological history written in the decorative Polish. a A leaflet that introduce the tourist to decorative stones and stones accessible to the public, the following printed and ń fossils that can be spotted in the monuments of Pozna . b A leaflet that online material, accompanied by a museum exhibition, has includes an introduction to the geological history of decorative stones. c, d Short geological guides that include more details on the decorative been created: stones in the monuments of Poznań (c) and on the geological history of Poland (d) (1). guides to decorative stones of Poznań: a short geological guide and a leaflet that introduce the tourist to decorative history of the Earth and are present in most recognizable mon- stones and fossils of the most impressive and widely uments of the city of Poznań have also been included in the recognized monuments of Poznań (Fig. 4), available database and in Table 1. Selected decorative stones allow the for download at http://www.muzeumziemi.amu.edu.pl/ design of a complex storyline and can be easily spotted and poznan (in Polish) recognized by nongeologists thanks to their unique features or (2). guides to the history of the Earth: a booklet and a leaflet fossil contents (Fig. 2). that describe the geological history of decorative stones 1832 Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837

Table 3 Distinct lithological types other than decorative or building stones included in the narrative and displayed in the exhibition at the Earth Sciences Museum in Poznań

Geological Fossil, rock type, ore Geological events and period (epoch) displayed on the exhibition palaeoenvironments

Neogene Brown coal Climate change during (Miocene) the Neogene in Europe; evergreen forests of the Miocene Permian Copper ore, salt and Warm sea of the Late gypsum, fossil fuels Permian; its transgression and evaporation resulted in the formation of rich deposits of copper, salt and gypsum; carbonate rocks deposited in Late Permian sea later became a reservoir for fossil fuels Carboniferous Fossil wood, agates and Carboniferous rainforest to Permian other gemstones of collapse; Carboniferous Fig. 5 An example showcase displayed in the exhibition at the Earth Lower Silesia to Permian volcanism of Sciences Museum in Poznań. Its content enhances the visitor southern Poland experience and enables a better visualization of the ancient ecosystem of the Jurassic sea Carboniferous Hard coal, fossils Carboniferous rainforests of scale trees, horsetails, in intramontane troughs and tree ferns and river valleys along the Variscan organized around a stratigraphic table which forms a logical mountain ridges outline for display units and reconstructions that introduce the Ordovician Fossils of the Ordovician Pleistocene glaciations of to Silurian nautiloids Poland and erratic visitor to the geological history of Poland and central Europe. and trilobites from boulders of Ordovician Distinct lithological types that are not used as decorative or Pleistocene erratic to Silurian limestones building stones but are related to events that are discussed in boulders of of Sweden the exhibition or contain valuable mineral deposits (e.g. cop- northern Poland per ore, salt and gypsum, hard and brown coal) are also displayed (Table 3). In the exhibition, most representative rock samples, polished slabs, fossil specimens and graphical and give geological background on the formation of the reconstructions of fossil genera and ancient ecosystems are rocks under study (in Polish) shown in 13 showcases that guide the visitor through the se- (3). an exhibition at the Earth Sciences Museum in Poznań, quence of ancient ecosystems which documents over 300 mil- where fossils and samples of decorative stones are lion years of the Earth’s history and facilitates better under- shown along with visuals (see details on the website of standing of the underlying geological history, allowing each of the museum: http://www.muzeumziemi.amu.edu.pl/ the decorative stones within the monuments and public build- poznan/en/, in English) ings of Poznań to be located much more easily (Fig. 5). Guides and leaflets present a narrative that involves the geological interpretation obtained both from decorative stones The guides and leaflets include descriptions of four to elev- and from rock samples exhibited in the museum. For a short en occurrences of decorative stones, depending on the size of extract from the final story featured in the printed and online the publication, located in well-known historic churches and media, see Table 4. The successive scenes are connected to public buildings in which these stones can be spotted and form a coherent narrative (Fig. 6), more deeply integrated than fossils can be easily identified (Table 2). Initial attempts at the content of a traditional exhibition. studying the fossil contents of decorative stones with nonspe- Due to the enormous wealth of fossils in the Devonian cialists showed that printed and online materials are not suffi- limestones from southern Poland (Table 1) which formed cient when no fossil expert is available in place. Since it is not on a carbonate platform of Laurussian shelf (Racki 1993), possible to provide a naturalist or trained mentor within the the printed and online material has been supplemented by public buildings, a dedicated exhibition at the Earth Sciences workshops in which high school students and adults recon- Museum in Poznań has been set up. The exhibition is struct the anatomy of the Middle to Late Devonian organic Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 1833

Table 4 Summary of the narrative written for the project and included uninterrupted narrative which better explains the concept of ongoing geo- in printed/online material (in Polish) distributed among participants. The logical time. Note that the table should be read in stratigraphic order, that story is divided into scenes, and geological periods are provided here for a is, from bottom to top, while the printed material (read from the first to better understanding, but published guides and leaflets contain an last page) is free of this limitation

Geological period (epoch) Scenes from the narrative written for the present project Geological terms and processes explained

Neogene (Miocene) Shallow sea reached southern Poland for the last time. Thick Marine transgressions, evaporites, brown coal salt and gypsum deposits originated from its warm waters. Farther north, evergreen forests overgrew the swamps of central Poland, giving birth to brown coal deposits. Cretaceous A large amount of sandstones were deposited in the shallow Formation of sandstones and cross-stratification waters of the sea that flooded Poland in Cretaceous times. The climate was much warmer than today. Jurassic Marine waters returned to central Europe and Poland Fossil cephalopods, evolutionary processes, several times. The deep Jurassic sea was inhabited by marine transgressions large ammonites (some of them were active predators) and much smaller, squid-like belemnites. The sea floor was covered by living corals and sponges. Fossilized remains of these animals are abundant in the Jurassic rocks of Poland. Permian Millions of years later, the inevitable geological processes Weathering and erosion, copper ore, evaporites, of weathering and erosion brought the history of the climate of the past, clastics, formation of mountains to an end. Large basins and deserts were conglomerates and salt deposits flooded in Late Permian times by a warm, tropical sea. Under the conditions of hot and arid climate, huge masses of water evaporated, which led to the formation of layers of salt and gypsum. The Lower Silesian copper ores were also formed thanks to the transgression of the Permian sea. Along the mountainous coasts of the sea, sedimentary rocks such as Zygmuntówka conglomerates were deposited in deeply incised valleys. Their red to brown colour shows us that they were formed under conditions of semi-arid to arid climate, when Europe was located near the Northern Tropic. Carboniferous Much time passed by and immense mountain ridges Plate tectonics, continental collisions, emerged from the sea waters. In the Carboniferous magmatism, formation of Pangaea, plutonic Period, central Europe became a maze of mountains and rocks, hard coal valleys, marked by numerous active volcanoes and deep basins, in which vast swamp forests gave birth to huge coal deposits. The mountains formed when the collisions of continents gave birth to Pangaea, a giant supercontinent that assembled from other earlier continents. Devonian The sea that flooded central Europe became warm and Continental drift, fossil reefs shallow. Its waters provided habitats for a diverse group of animals (corals and sponges) that formed organic buildups similar to contemporary barrier reefs. The presence of such organic buildups in mid and high latitudes shows that continents move over time and that Europe was once located near the equator. Ordovician Millions of years ago, central Europe was flooded by a sea Evolution, extinct groups of animals inhabited by extraordinary, now-extinct animals. Giant, predatory nautiloids ruled the waters, skimming across the sea in a hunt for prey. Their long, uncoiled shells can be easily spotted on the stone floors made of Ordovician limestone.

buildups. At least three distinct facies are easily spotted on of stromatoporoid sponges accompanied by brachiopods the polished surfaces of the Devonian limestone: (1) and bivalves; these limestones formed in a shallow lagoon- amphiporid limestones with numerous dendroid skeletons al environment in central parts of the carbonate buildup 1834 Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837

Fig. 6 Summaryofthe interconnections between MIOCENE successive scenes of the narrative extinction of Mesozoic written for the project and cause- cephalopods and-effect relations between geo- CRETACEOUS Mesozoic logical events and and Cenozoic marine life from low- to palaeoenvironments transition from carbonate mid-latitudes; to siliceous deposition continental drift

JURASSIC

from land to sea: from nautiloids demise of mountains to ammonoids

PERMIAN

climate change; transition from glaciations Paleozoic to Mesozoic marine life shallow seas Devonian fossils replaced by CARBONIFEROUS in Permian terrestrial conglomerates environments continental collisions

DEVONIAN

sea-level change; continental drift, reef development

ORDOVICIAN

(Fig. 7; Racki 1993); (2) massive stromatoporoid (sponge) Discussion limestones formed on the boundary of the organic buildup, in the wave-agitated zone; and (3) stromatoporoid-coral The layers of rocks tell a story about their geological histories, limestones deposited downslope, at depths of 10–20 m which enable geoscientist to communicate the scientific facts (Racki 1993). The participants learn to identify the most by using a strong narrative. The fossil content and sedimenta- common fossils and discuss the relation of the Devonian ry structures accompanied by graphical reconstructions and a carbonate buildups to modern reef barriers, acknowledging storyline broaden the palette of possible geological topics and that the position of the European continent has changed themes that can be communicated by using decorative stones. dramatically from Devonian times. However, the usage of visuals or multimedia is of equal importance to a clear narrative, because static and unexplained fossils or sedimentary structures are not sufficient for nonexpert audiences to understand the dynamic processes of the Outcome of the Project distant past (Dodick and Orion 2003). Most spectacular geological phenomena (volcanic erup- The project has been available to the public since September tions, earthquakes) occur abruptly, and therefore, long time- 2015. More than 2300 individuals have visited the Earth scales that lie beyond human scale are not easily appreciated Sciences Museum in Poznań and 2500 copies of leaflets and by the individual (Dahlstrom 2014). Thus, the storytelling printed guides have been distributed among them. Over 450 component facilitates the communication of scientific find- pupils and students from schools located in the vicinity of ings that involve enormous time scales that are beyond the Poznań have participated in classes devoted to evolutionary comprehension of a nonexpert audience. Moreover, a clear processes and decorative stones and gained skills in the iden- narrative restores the stratigraphic context of geological events tification of basic minerals and rock types. that led to the formation of decorative stones. The further development of the project involves the Rocks that are used as decorative stones are easily available preparation of geological guides and leaflets for other to the public without the need for fieldwork in remote areas. The cities in Poland. A detailed description of a self-guided presence of these stones in well-known historic monuments walk that comprises thirteen stops in the city centre of makes it easier to gain the interest of tourists and traditional Gdańsk, Gdynia and Wejherowo in northern Poland and media. Moreover, polished building and decorative stones offer involves five types of decorative stones is available on arichresourceofgeologicalfeatures which are poorly visible the Internet (https://zywaplaneta.pl/trojmiasto/,inPolish). within outcrops and can be used for educational purposes, for Similar guides are now being developed for Olsztyn and instance cross-sections of coral-sponge intergrowths and internal Warszawa (Fig. 1). structures of nautiloid and ammonite shells. These features alone Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 1835

d make up for the loss of the stratigraphical context, which can be retained owing to the narrative element of the project. The story of rock and fossil formation through deep geological time increases the level of interpretation of palaeontological geoheritage. Fossils are used not only to demonstrate the diversity of the past life forms but also to disseminate the knowledge of geological processes, namely a plate tectonics, the origin of mountains, weathering and erosion and climate change. The component of in-depth interpretation differentiates the project under study from many earlier urban geoheritage projects and enhances the engagement of visitors: a desire to go fossil hunting in other public buildings e b was noted among many individuals who visited historic monuments included in the printed material. Although the project is a journey through a geological history that spans over 300 million years, the initial expo- sure of printed material to a small group of high school students revealed that most participants tend to consume f c small bites of geological knowledge, that is, selected scenes from the whole of the geological time that is involved in the current project. Moreover, within those little portions of the Earth science information, some misconceptions related to the history of the Earth are shared by many of the individuals. The most common false beliefs Fig. 7 The anatomy of the Devonian carbonate buildup and the corresponding variations of decorative stones from the vicinity of arelistedinTable5. These misconceptions arise from Bolechowice near Kielce: (a, b) shallow lagoons in central parts of the deeply rooted but unexamined beliefs named by Kusnick carbonate buildup populated by dendroid stromatoporoids (Amphipora), (2002) as conceptual prisms. Examples listed in Table 5 brachiopods (Desquamatia), and gastropods; (c) wave-agitated zones at fall into two categories sensu Kusnick (2002): II (scales the flanks of the carbonate buildup populated by massive stromatoporoids (Actinostroma in the bottom part of the photograph), tabulate/rugose corals, of space and time) and III (stable Earth). Interviewed par- and bivalves (for a reconstruction of the sedimentary environment see Fig. ticipants of workshops described rocks as forming in short 3b); (d)smallStachyodes-Renalcis (stromatoporoid sponge and blue-green time scales, not surpassing human life spans (conceptual algae) buildups located downslope; (e, f) slopes of the buildup with a prism II), and assumed that seas, mountain ridges and riv- diverse assemblage of rugose corals (Disphyllum), brachiopods (Uchtospirifer), crinoids, and gastropods (Bellerophon, Pleurotomaria, ers do not change significantly with time even if hundreds Loxonema). Block diagram of the Devonian carbonate buildup drawn by of millions of years are involved (prism III). To address Szymon Górnicki; other visuals by Edyta Felcyn. Scale bars 2 cm these misconceptions and to ensure that participation in

Table 5 Most common misconceptions revealed in the Misconception Scientific explanation workshops and shared by many participants Fossil guards of belemnites are interpreted Belemnite guards (rostra) are common fossils of an as fulgurites extinct order of Mesozoic cephalopods In Poland, dinosaur bones are scattered on the ground Most of the territory of Poland is covered with and can be easily collected Pleistocene sediments; during the Middle and Late Jurassic and in the Late Cretaceous, the area of Poland was occupied by shallow seas, and dinosaur fossils are thus extremely rare discoveries Warm climate of central Europe in the past has been True polar wander is accompanied by the motion of caused by the rotation of the entire Earth relative to individual plates (continental drift) its axis (true polar wander); the continents were fixed in their present positions The positions of seas and oceans are fixed; Oceans form and disappear over geologic time even the continental shelf seas such as the Baltic Sea due to continental drift last forever, and their coastlines migrate only with sea level rise/fall 1836 Geoheritage (2019) 11:1827–1837 the project would lead to positive changes in deeply held Szymon Górnicki and Jakub Kowalski designed and painted the visuals beliefs about the history of the Earth, geological time used in printed and online material. Mateusz Antczak and Jan Król helped me to organize the exhibition at the Museum. The manuscript benefited scales and processes and the formation of fossils, the con- from the anonymous reviewer’s comments. tents of the printed material and posters exhibited in the museum were significantly altered. However, the tendency Funding Information The project under study was partly funded by to memorize the selected scenes from the whole story is a award 36/UD/SKILLS/2014 by the Foundation for Polish Science sign of some other deeply rooted, unexamined beliefs that (eNgage competition of the SKILLS project, co-financed from the European Union funds as part of the European Social Fund). hinder the ability to grasp the concept of geological processes that continue through time that is measured in thou- Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative sands and millions of years (Johnson et al. 2014). The Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, presence of a strong narrative that connects the successive distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appro- scenes of the story more closely than in Fig. 6 could po- priate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the tentially address that problem better, but more intensive Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. investigations of a larger population with a detailed assess- ment of learning outcomes are necessary. 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